A Ronin Fit For A Samurai
by Supreme Ky
Summary: AU: Takes place the sixth volume and beyond. What if Motoko kept to her honor system? How one question can change the course of history... Chapter 5 reloaded, I think it got cut in half because that's all I can see from my comp.
1. The End of An Era

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.

Despite the chapters, it's sorta like a one-shot. This delves into the possibility of what if Motoko _really_ followed through on her honor system?

A loud shout of 'pervert' could be heard from the distance and a loud crash resounded throughout the complex. Far from the chaos Motoko Aoyoma glanced over at where the sound had came from. Eyes widening she scolded herself for even caring at what was going on. Incidents such as this were commonplace enough where it shouldn't warrant her attention at all, she told herself. Standing tall and ever graceful she stood poised to attack. Her targets were simple, mere leaves that fell from the trees. However, the incessant yelping of one Keitaro Urashima, resident landlord of Hinata-sou, was disturbing her concentration to the point of no return.

Chanting a mantra to herself, she reminded herself that the landlord and resident evil pervert Urashima deserved what he got.

_Slash!_

With one elegant stroke a wave of ki energy was unleashed from her sword. It wasn't at maximum power but it was able to kick up most of the leaves that were all around her. Her katana was lowered near her feet, and as the leaves reached their peak, she unleashed her attack. A flurry of movements decimated the small army of plant life. With a sigh, she withdrew her sword from the heat of battle (or practice in this case) and sheathed her sword.

That was only a parlor trick and she knew it. It would impress most, but not her and those of the Shinmei-Ryu school. Because of her lack of concentration she had been reduced to the basic foundations of her craft. For her to practice fully while her mind was so clouded was a hazard to her and everything around her.

And I wonder who is to blame… 

Things around Hinata-sou were hectic as always and the return of Mutsumi Otohime had only added fuel to that raging inferno which can be described as a 'relationship' between Urashima and Naru. Reappearing after several months she had decided to move right across the Hinata-sou The world was not blind to their antics and this sudden 'love triangle' is making life very complicated…

For starters, no longer can she hope to have a few hours of complete silence for meditation or for recreational purposes. She would be lucky if she could even sit on the couch for a moment before someone would either pounce on her, land on her, ask for her help, or get peeped on by Urashima. Things like this have become more frequent with each passing day.

Then there were the others...

In retrospect, maybe it was the season of presents and Yuletide cheer, but everyone seemed to be acting strangely for one reason or another. Naru seemed more possessive and angry towards that weakling… Mutsumi-san, for better or worse, seems to be getting into the spirit of healthy competition with Naru. Shinobu was more or less the same; however instead of just blushing, she had seen the young girl become braver in her advances towards Urashima. Even Kitsune seemed to have plans for him, no matter how devious and naughty it may be. Su was possibly the only one not affected at all.

_Su and I are the only ones that see through his façade. _Motoko amended quickly. _Whatever the reason, this can't go on. My training schedule is becoming too far and in between for my liking._

Suddenly another shout of indignation was heard, which could only have come from Naru, and then she could hear Naru shout out her famous attack, the Naru Iron Punch. The unlucky Ronin flew from Hinata-sou and flew into the air without the help of an airplane or any other device.

Motoko watched him disappear off into the sunset and wondered briefly about her airborne landlord and his ill-fated life. Perhaps not everything was his fault she thought to herself. But she was convinced it was him that threw her concentration off somehow.

A/N: What do you think? Just a prologue for now, if I get good enough reviews I'll post up some more. Right now, I can't do KOF right now. I just can't seem to get the right inspiration. Yeah, so much for me staying on the right path… Anyways, this is just something for me to do in the meantime.


	2. The Certainties of Falsehood

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: Having a prologue of 650 words leaves a really, really bad taste in my mouth. Here's one more. Read and review!

The autumn season was coming to an end and the winter would bring about many a thing that she would rather not think about. As she meditated she found herself once again drawn away from her task. The first thought that had cross her mind was her age. She was seventeen now, and like many other times, she had brushed that feeling off, and the certainty that _she _would soon arrive… In the end, it was only a matter of time before she'd have to leave Hinata-sou, so why fret now? Then the thought of Urashima had entered her mind. He had been gone a while. Why hasn't he shown up yet?

Quickly acting through the instinct of survival and self-preservation, she thoroughly pinched herself in her cheeks, allowing her to knock her mind back on course. Sitting in her futon she took a few breaths to calm the storm that brewed in her mind. But two things had remained constant. One had always been in the back of her mind and she had dreaded it every day. Day after day she worried about the coming of Tsuroko, her elder sister. She had no desire to leave in order to take over as the head of the Shinmei-Ryu school, and Tsuroko would one day come back and drag her back to Kyoto. To refuse her would be a fly trying to reason with a monsoon, it couldn't be done. Her age was the second thought. As the years flew by, as she got older (not only did she have to worry about Tsuroko since she would appear once she would be old enough) but birthdays had never held any significance with her. And although she wouldn't admit it to herself, that thought saddens her to a degree. But with her reasoning, birthdays just meant that one had gotten older, and for her, the day when she would have to leave Hinata-sou became imminent as she went through her birthdays like her daily morning exercises.

And finally there was Kei---er, Urashima… Just when she had limited the number of things on her mind to think about, he had to go about and ruin it with his antics. Lately his attempts at friendship were pitiful at best she reasoned. But like any good warrior she allowed herself to be humble when times befit such course of action. However, she herself had her own private prosecutor, ready to question everything and all things…

_Maybe you've finally accepted him into your life._

Don't be ridiculous. He is what he is, nothing more than that.

And what is he? 

A pervert, like all men.

_And yet when have perverts apologized with a look of shame and panic rather than secret triumph?_

Maybe he's a good actor.

_But you know he's a bad liar._

Motoko scowled as her inner prosecutor had scored yet another victory. No matter how many times she looked at it, the pieces fit. The man was ill fated at best, forever bound to clumsiness, to live as a man with a backbone that's equivalent to finely crushed gelatin. To be guilty of his actions required something Urashima didn't have, she thought with slight remorse. Her instincts had always guided her hand to her katana before questions like this could be asked and answered. Assuming the worst and executing, that was her fault. Priding herself on honor and protecting the weak and innocent from the clutches of evil and tyrannical, this was a severe blow indeed. Deciding upon action rather than stewing in guilt within the confines of her room she stepped out of her room in search of a man that she may have wronged on too many occasions.

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"She can be a champion boxer one day. Maybe even kick-boxer." Keitaro thought to himself. As he wearily shuffled up the long flight of stairs that led to Hinata-sou he couldn't help but feel the familiar twinge of inner emotional turmoil every she sent him to a neighboring town, village, or even city with one of her patented punches. Every time he got up from the Keitaro-sized crater he'd make on impact he felt a little stab made into his heart. Maybe the Aorta or a main artery, whatever is was, it hurt like hell every time. "Maybe one day…"

"Yeah, one day what?" he sneered derisively at himself. "She'll plant you a nice big wet one instead of sending you a one way trip to Jupiter? A cold day in hell indeed…" Keitaro muttered. But a thought occurred to him. Promise girl or not, what difference does it really make? She hated him and she despised him with the fervor one would reserve for the man that came up with the idea for producing Olsen-Twins movies. No matter what he did, it was never good enough or it wasn't the right thing to do. His thoughts then veered to the more gentle and easy-going Mutsumi. She was always so cheerful and optimistic, although a little flighty. They had much more in common and got along together famously. Maybe he should let his dream and promise die. Maybe he'd be better off with—

"Urashima!"

"Motoko?" Keitaro replied with a puzzled look on his face, after having his monologue interrupted. He looked up and Motoko stood in front of him. She was decked out in several layers of clothing. After learning her lesson when she had first gotten a fever because of neglect she chose to be careful when the weather got a little extreme. She was still in her hakama and gi, but she wore a heavy, brown winter coat over it. Her hair was pulled into her usual ponytail and she wore a pair of white earmuffs. When Keitaro ventured closer he could see that instead of her usual sandals she wore a pair of boots. Unbeknownst to him, Motoko had also taken the precaution of actually wearing a pair of jeans given to her by Naru one Christmas. The pair of boots she was wearing reached up a little past her calves, a gift she had received from Kitsune for "those days when she might be sick of being just a warrior". She wore a thick, black sweater made of wool, and she even wore a pair of gloves. Pride dictated she should at least look her role as a student of Kendo as she protected herself from the elements. As of now, it was well past eight and the feel of winter was hanging heavy in the air.

"Motoko. Fancy meeting you here." Keitaro replied with a smile. He didn't smile too much since it might give the wrong impression. The only reason he allowed himself to be comfortable at this point without overdoing it was the fact she was unarmed. This meant she wasn't here to kill him or severely maim him. "So what can I do for you?"

"Where did you wind up this time?" Motoko asked quietly. "Normally it would take you less than half an hour."

Keitaro grinned a silly grin and quickly pushed his inner thoughts away to deal with another time. "Funny you should ask. This time I actually ended up not too far! I just took my time and went window shopping I guess."

"I see." His answer had somehow caught her off guard. Curiosity soon got the better of her when she realized they were standing in the cold night air for several minutes without any interaction. "Why?"

Keitaro gave a small laugh but Motoko picked up a hint of sadness in the young man's voice. "No reason I suppose. Looking at all those things I want to get…" When he caught the look of disapproval crossing Motoko's features he waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "No, wait! That didn't sound right! What I mean is… I wish I had the money to get some presents. It's just… well; never mind. We should get inside before it gets any colder, I'm sure you have better things to do than to stand out here in the cold for who knows how long right?" Blowing on his hands for effect he quickly bypassed Motoko, leaving her a little confused. She had went to find him, waited for a little over an hour since his launch time, and now when he had finally shown his face, he had dismissed everything and she didn't even get a chance to get her guilt out in the open? She turned around and headed inside, intent on getting something done, if not her training.


	3. The Fall From Perdition

Disclaimer: Nope.

A/N: Wow, thanks for the reviews! Hot damn, I thought I was onto something but the reaction was more than I hoped for! Well, I'll post up a bit at a time, since I'm way behind compared to most. Things will run a little slow since I want to do this right. But I ordered the rest of the volumes I'm missing (10 to 14) and I'll be up to date in two weeks! But anyway, enough about me and onto the good stuff!

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It was the hour of dinner, usually everyone's favorite time of the day since Shinobu often cooks up a feast for dinner. By that time everyone was sitting down with lively and happy expressions on their faces. Su was hoarding food away like it was the end of days while Sarah calmly ate hers while cracking jokes with Su. Kitsune was already a little tipsy, and as always, finding ways to cause Keitaro to flush several shades of red at once. Naru was already over whatever incident had occurred that afternoon and was already joining in the teasing. But when it was done, Keitaro and Naru were enjoying each other's company like best friends, which was when Mutsumi had decided to join in as well. Even Shinobu was acting more carefree than she had ever been.

Throughout all this Motoko kept a careful eye on everything. Normally she'd be content to be somber but at the same time, at peace, as she ate dinner with the others. But today she couldn't keep her eyes off the Ronin Trio, consisting of the founding third year ronin Keitaro, the newly made Naru, and the fellow third year ronin Mutsumi. Looking at them she couldn't understand how is it that everything goes back to normal.

_Every time Urashima acts up, Naru sees fit to punish him accordingly. _Motoko thought to herself. _Yet things go back to normal. She still trusts him and they end up the best of friends! I don't understand it!_

As Keitaro prepared to launched a defensive to protect his masculinity from Naru he felt an odd sensation on the back of his neck. As he turned his head slightly he found Motoko staring oddly at him. Having been found out, she quickly resumed eating, her chopsticks never lingering on the bowl or her lips for more than a second as she ate at the speed of Su. He turned back to Naru and dismissed the situation, be it because of his fear of her wrath or his usual denseness in matters of the heart and all social etiquette, he returned to his conversation. Naru however noticed this immediately. Once the top scholar of the nation, Naru Narusegawa, she was by no means soft in the head despite being a ronin. _What was that all about?_ She briefly pondered the situation but returned to teasing Keitaro once more when he had picked up where she had left off.

"Shinobu, that was wonderful as always, thank you. I should be going now." Motoko hastily retreated. She did _not_ want to have to answer any embarrassing questions. As she stalked up the stairs she had more time to think about Naru and Keitaro. If she could forgive him in a matter of hours, then maybe Keitaro wasn't sneaky or underhanded. Maybe the things that he had been guilty of, Naru had only made some fuss due to etiquette. Maybe even deep down, she liked it in some weird, perverse fashion. With all this insight, she still did not dismiss the fact that Keitaro was just clumsy. The thought of them engaging in this nauseating display of… of… whatever the hell it was, it wasn't right.

_Yet, Urashima was… agreeable tonight._ Motoko opened her door and stepped in. As she closed her door, she locked it and searched through her drawer. _Is this what they call love then? This sickening display of hurting the ones you love? Every time… how could I have not notice it?_ Motoko gathered several candles and began to light each and every one of them and proceeded to shut off the lights. The combination of mediation and aromatherapy did wonders, and now was the time for such a miracle. She needed to understand the situation before her.

_So what does it all mean? He attacks Naru in 'perverse ways' and she in turn attacks him, and rightfully so… Yet she accepts him as time lingers. This means that… it's expected. She knew he would come back to her in the end and he does so with a smile on his face… Keitaro is clumsy by nature. I can't ever forget that, nor shall I. Calling him a pervert due to that… it's offensive on more than just one level. And Narusegawa… What of her? _

These thoughts rolled around in her mind and as the minutes passed away into hours, she found herself still awake and alert. To her surprise she found that it was already past midnight when she checked her alarm clock, hidden discreetly from prying eyes since it would ruin the décor.

_Have I really been in meditation for that long? Then again, I don't think that should have counted._ She remembered clearly everything's she seen and experienced when Keitaro had first moved into Hinata-Sou. She rose from her kneeling position, she had to talk to him, apologize and—

Suddenly the only thing Motoko saw was the infinite void of unconsciousness. Having to stay in that pose for so long, she didn't realize that her legs had went numb for quite a while. When she had thought she had successfully stood up and began to 'walk', she didn't even realize that she was falling, since her thoughts were preoccupied with a certain ronin.

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Motoko groaned as she heard the everyday sounds of morning come through her window. For once in her life she had hated the sound of chirping birds. Suddenly her eyes snapped open as she realized what had happened the other night. After realizing the answers to the Urashima question, she had went to seek a few words with him, only to trip over her own legs and fall unconscious. A streak of pink graced her cheeks. To call it embarrassing was an understatement. She quickly stood up, against a wall this time, and began to shake out her legs. Stripping with the speed that would shame Japanese boy bands, she slipped into an identical ensemble of her regular hakama and training gi. She checked the time on her alarm clock and found it only an hour before breakfast. The only person that would be awake at this point would have been her and Shinobu. There were always the exceptions but now was not the time to split hairs.

She snuck quietly down the stairs, careful not to wake the others, especially Kitsune. She had the ability to blow this meeting out of proportion. Motoko felt a hint of crimson reach her face. _Yes, this situation does seem distasteful and can be seen as something it's not… But it's nothing like that!_ Deciding not to take any chances, she quietly knocked on the door. A little part of her begged Keitaro to leave this alone, not answer the door, and let her do it another time. In retrospect Motoko realize it was a little awkward and not something she would know how to deal with. When Motoko heard nothing on Keitaro's side of the door, she shrugged mentally, and began to walk out to her beating dummy, the clothes-drying stand, and work off some stress. Suddenly, as she was about to turn the corner, Keitaro's door creaked open, letting some sunlight shine through. Her eyes widened at the strange turn of events… Priding herself on a policy of pure determination and grace under fire she quickly gathered her arguments and prepared herself as she opened the door and walked in, getting straight to the point as well.

"Urashima?" Motoko's voice came out meeker than she would have liked but there was no changing that now. "Are you awake?" Her eyes searched the room until she spotted him sitting on a chair by his balcony. There were several study books and past exams littered about him. His glasses were placed on a sturdy pile of books as he snored away, the right side of his face tucked into the nook of his right arm that was placed on the banister. His left hand was dangling from his body and his hand still clutched a review book.

A small grin replaced the steely look of conviction. Glancing at the various piles of books and empty food containers as she looked about his room she couldn't but feel a twinge of admiration for this ronin. After failing three times in a row he was now studying his heart out, determined to get into Tokyo University at all costs. Deciding to let him rest she turned around but vowed that this issue will be settled. She made mental note to herself to be more forgiving when Naru cried out pervert, aiming it at Keitaro. However if anyone else should do the same, well, she'd have to investigate further if anything…

As she took a small step, she didn't realize she had stepped on a very thin sheet of paper. Seconds slowed to a crawl as Motoko was falling at a rapid speed towards the floor. Suddenly something stopped her descent. Once she had realized this, she was suddenly pulled away from the floor and into Keitaro.

He was still groggy but his eyes were alert. Just as Motoko had slipped, she had alerted Keitaro to her presence. Deciding to take his chances, he leapt from his seat, and grabbed her by the arm. Since she was a little further away from him since he had first anticipated, he had grabbed her wrist, but was barely able to fall flat on his face from that action. He steadied himself and all the while his momentum pulled Motoko to him, but it was too much for him to sustain the both of them, thus landing him in this situation:

He now held her wrist in his hand, her other arm placed upon his chest, her body was smashed into his, and out of instinct, his right hand ended up on her right hip. He was up against the wall and Motoko suddenly got a very good look at Keitaro's eyes. Motoko, out of her element much like a fish in the middle of the desert, could only try to open her mouth and speak. No words could be said, which meant Keitaro had to take the first step.

"Not that I should be complaining…" Keitaro spoke slowly and deliberately. "… But it's not often I get dropped in on at this time of the hour." He had expected a response but nothing came. Motoko only looked embarrassed, only much more so now that Keitaro pointed out the obvious weirdness in him finding a girl drop in on him while he was asleep. Motoko's mind was stuck but her instincts were on overdrive. She pushed herself off of him and practically threw herself all the way to the door. Her hand right hand moved over to her left, ready to draw her sword, and draw blood…

But after noticing the lack of substance in her left hand, and the air that was in her right, not to mention the puzzled look on Keitaro's face, did she realize she was unarmed… And that she was about to strike once more. Her mind flashed the answer as to why, but she would analyze this later, if she had the time. "I-- err… I just came to retrieve… this!" She grabbed a review book lying on his desk and backed out. "Well, after seeing so much hard work on your part as well as Narusegawa's part, I too should try to achieve higher aspirations! See you at breakfast!"

Before it had even sunk into his head, she was out the door and running back into her room, shamefaced at her initial reaction. Perhaps her instincts for survival proving to be too much for her to handle, she ran up to her room with her feet pounding on the wooden planks. It was obvious that alerting the others to her whereabouts was not on her mind at all. Had she been more careful, she would not have alerted a certain specter that now stood in the shadows, eyes twinkling with mischief, and a mind filled with ideas that would be… harmful to say the least.

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_What in Kami's name was that?!_ Motoko was safe inside her room now, with her precious Shisui in her hand. The feeling without her weapon gave her a feeling of nakedness that she didn't like one bit. Some have blankets and teddy bears as comforters; she had a sharp piece of metal made for killing and the like. _How was he able to do that? How in the name of all that is Just and Holy was I not able to go through with what I wanted to say?! Have I become weak?_ Her mind raced as she went to work on the current problem. She was not weak, but she was definitely confused. She was not in her element and her becoming flustered is a natural reaction she will have to obliterate from her working systems.

As she processed this, the concept of strong and weak once again popped up. She was not weak, but neither is he at this point. He dedication and focus is one example. He must have been up studying all night, preparing once more for his yearly battle. He was strong enough to catch her as well, she admitted to herself. Clutching her face with her hands she tried to chase that thought away. But a nagging voice that sounded much like Kitsune only egged her on. This wasn't the first time he had done something like that. He caught her once before. Although she may have been sick, it didn't really show or take effect until she got into the hot spring.

_That feeling, it was good… Him holding me… _Her eyes widened and a certain gleam shone in her eye that was akin to either rage or insanity. Placing Shisui down she quickly grabbed a pillow and placed it over her mouth… and screamed with all her might. She screamed and screamed until she could feel the rawness in her throat. She slowly placed the pillow down and grabbed her bokuto and was out the door for a nice wholesome breakfast, and several hours of extra vigorous training to 'purify' her mind.

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A/N: Read and review!

Japanese boy bands – Fun fact I read in a volume of the Galaxy Angel manga. Japanese boy bands are notorious for taking off their shirts during a performance and changing on stage really quickly. It also seems that a certain agency trains their boys to change fast.


	4. The Decisions of Maidens

Disclaimer: Nope, not at all.

A/N: Thanks again for all the kind reviews! And as for Samurai Demon-God Sekikage, I remember reading about something like that. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but either Tsuroko taught it to him, or he learned it from someone else and ended up dying. Something about him and Viking mythology. In any case, I can't say I can do that in good conscious. Someone else's idea, and if I'm mistaken, it would be yours and in total an idea belonging to someone altogether, not mine. I can't do that. But there will be action; I can guarantee that. Also, I finally have all the volumes so I can see the full extent of the Urashima arts as they are, and Motoko's new prowess in hand-to-hand combat and all the other cool stuff! Awesomeness! (Something I've been saying a lot) Well anyway, enjoy, read, and (most importantly) review!

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Breakfast was your average and very typical breakfast. In Hinata-sou, it was average, chaotic to say the least, rather rushed, with a side of destruction to go. It's actually tame compared to the other meals made during the rest of the day within this girls' dormitory, but compared to most households it was pretty lively. Motoko closed her eyes as she chewed slowly; purposely trying to drive away the hormone induced feelings from her mind. At the same time she planned a counter for Kitsune. Somehow she had a feeling Kitsune might draw attention to her. As she speculated things, it was obvious she was not so quiet going up the stairs as she had went down. She must have been alerted. _She always was a light sleeper._ She thought with certainty.

"Hey, Keitaro! Wanna help me out today? We're gonna build something extra nice for you if you do!" Su prodded Keitaro. If it were anyone else Keitaro would have conceded, especially with those looks girls give that demanded attention and submission. However he knew the extent and the content of her projects.

"Am I going to explode? Do I have to run from laser-guided missiles again? Should I worry about my hair falling out?" Keitaro asked in rapid-fire manner. Su shook her head and he observed her body language and found nothing incriminating. What he didn't see was Sarah's obvious snickering. What Su forgot to mention was that Sarah was going to be her assistant, and that they were going to play a game of doctor that would result in a very traumatic experience for Keitaro. The aim for her experiment was to find out the secret to Keitaro's immortality by **any** means necessary.

"Do I have to remind you that you need to study with me for the exam? You said you were going to work your butt off! What happened?" Naru asked accusingly. As she said this, Motoko took this opportunity to listen in for a bit and to ignore the voice of Kitsune inside her head egging her on with sordid fantasies. "That exam is important to you isn't it?"

"Yeah, of course it is! Sorry, Su, maybe some other time okay? I have to study today." Keitaro replied. As he finished his soup, he wiped his mouth, and allowed Naru to lead the way up the stairs to her room for a study session. Motoko couldn't but help throw a glance in that direction. It wasn't unusual that they were to study in her room. It had been a daily exercise for the two ronin. Mutsumi would normally join the two, which was usually sometime in the afternoon, and she would proceed to stay until after dinner. She quickly looked back down and away from their general direction. Suddenly a voice spoke up and Motoko prepared for the oncoming attack.

"Is something the matter Motoko?" Shinobu asked as she began to clear the table of dishes, surprising the young swordswoman.

"No, nothing. I must be going now." She threw a look at Su, a look that meant to ask her to not tag along as she usually might.

"Hey, you're not upset about this morning are ya?" Su answered in reply to Motoko's message. "If you need to talk to him, wait until Naru leaves!" That simple and yet very casual statement somehow caused her to stay in place for several seconds. Her blood froze. _What did she mean? No, she couldn't of have—_

"Hmm? She needs to talk to Keitaro about what?" Kitsune asked; her voice genuinely puzzled. For the first time in a while she was actually in the dark about a tenant's struggles of the heart.

"Motoko was in Keitaro's room this morning! I saw her leave!" Su shouted in glee as Motoko chased the hyperactive girl around the table. When she had finally caught Su in her grasp, Kitsune's interest was peaked. "What is dear Su talking about?" she asked slyly. Motoko quickly slapped her hand over Su's mouth as her mind tried to process the events that were happening too fast for her to just ignore.

"Nothing! She means nothing, really! I wanted to ask if I could borrow some books from Urashima! I have decided that I should explore my options on the subject of college!" she back-pedaled her way out of a minor incident that would've become a major disaster (for her) and did it with the precision of a sniper within a feet away from his target. Suddenly she felt something wiggling on her hand coming the same hand that covered Su's mouth. It was slobbery to say the least. Motoko was surprised enough that her hand was released a fraction away from Su's mouth. Taking the advantage she slipped out of Motoko's grasp.

Laughing all the while she added in her two cents, "Then why were you blushing?" Su laughed at Motoko's reaction, which was a combination of rabid insanity and embarrassment, and ran back to her room with Sarah following closely behind, a slightly disgusted look on her face. With her understanding of the adult world and their fragile relationships, she would never understand why anyone would want to visit that dork in the morning, for romantic reasons or not.

In Motoko's mind the order of retreat sounded, but her legs were clearly noncompliant. A healthy dose of mortification had sunk in, separating her legs from her mind in a classic military pincer move. "So, Motoko… never knew you were the type to ask for favors. Perhaps under the cover of night," Kitsune had a hand to her mouth and her normally closed eyes were open just a smidge as she took in the look on Motoko's face. "You felt the pangs of the lonely warrior woman? Well, pardon, you're a woman **now** eh? Retreating to his room for a night of unbridled passion! How unlike you!"

"Yes, exactly! It was not like that at all! I had to borrow a book from Urashima, you can ask him yourself!" Motoko replied in indignation. Kitsune smirked at her weak counter attack.

"You went to his room, that early in the morning, to borrow a book?" she asked slyly. To the random person, it sounded innocent enough; the question wasn't dangerous at all even. But Motoko knew it was a dangerous thing to underestimate Kitsune. Motoko knew she had boxed herself in but had no choice but to stick to her guns. "Yes, I did."

"But, if Su was awake at the time, it must have been late! In fact, really late… late enough to say that you've missed out on your early morning practice session?" Kitsune prodded. Before Motoko could even defend herself, Kitsune only continued. "Oh come off it! I heard all the commotion. I happen to sleep next door to the guy!" Seeing the look of defeat on Motoko's face, she quickly eased up. She grabbed her shoulders and directed her to a nearby chair. Playing the older sister routine, she quickly pulled up a chair and placed her hands over Motoko's. "So c'mon, what's this all about then? Seeing him in the morning for a book wasn't really the reason you were there, was it?"

Motoko shook her head, looking very much like an accident victim. She was in shock that she had been found out, and in shock that it had not been exploited. "No, but that does not mean that I've played a part in your strange, delusional fantasies. I have not committed such an act, nor will I ever. At least not with the likes of him." Motoko stated with the utmost seriousness. "If you must know, I was… I wanted to apologize."

This had surprised Kitsune. Apologies don't come cheap, not from Motoko at least. "Why's that?"

Motoko got up from her chair and walked away, not wanting to discuss this matter any further. It really didn't concern anyone but her. It was a matter of personal honor and it involved a violation of the code of bushido on her part, the code for all warriors who follow the path of the sword. Hers was a bit updated and it suited her needs, but it still held her responsible for the innocent, especially to those she may and have wronged. As she walked away, she felt Kitsune grab her arm. "Motoko, wait! Okay I get it; this is too serious to be made fun of. I won't stop trying of course! But can't you fill me in on what's going on? What's going on between you and Keitaro, really?"

To that, she responded in earnest, "I've had a change of heart." She pulled away from Kitsune and went about her daily routine.

----------

"You're doing much better than I expected. I guess three years of work had finally sunk in for you!" Naru said teasingly. It had been well past two in the afternoon and the day's studies were over for the moment. The ever-friendly Mutsumi had not dropped by yet, but they continued their studies nonetheless. Naru stood up and began to stretch. She turned over to Keitaro and expected to find him with his brains partially fried from all their work. Instead his face was still buried inside his books and he looked like he could go on for on for another eight hours on pure will alone. "Hey, wanna take a break? We didn't even get to eat lunch yet. I'm sure Shinobu's got some leftovers for us."

Keitaro looked up at Naru and pushed his glasses up. "Yeah, I guess." He placed his books down and stood up. "Lead the way."

Naru looked at Keitaro strangely. "You know, you did pretty well today on those old entrance exams. You got most of them right. You were really focused but you still seemed distant. What's going on in that thick skull of yours?" she asked. Although she said this playfully Naru couldn't help but feel that something was going on with Keitaro. She felt concerned for his welfare, something she didn't show on an official basis.

Keitaro only raised his eyebrows in response. "Really? Sorry about that Naru. I guess I got some things on my mind."

"Really now? Care to share?" Naru asked as they ventured down the stairs. They spoke freely by now since everyone was off on their own. They walked into the kitchen and begun to stock up on supplies.

"Well, I don't know where to begin. But for the most part, it has to do with Motoko." Keitaro scratched the back of his head as he tried to explain the nature of something that not even he had a clue on.

Naru froze as she bent forward to retrieve some containers filled with food that Shinobu had cooked for lunch. _Motoko? _Naru wondered. Her mind flashed back to breakfast and the look she had given him. The look on Keitaro's face flooded her mind as well. There was no doubt in her mind that he truly was confused and had absolutely no idea what was going on, but a healthy dose of paranoia had begun to sink in. She didn't want to admit it, but a sense of jealousy ran through her veins. "Oh really? How so?" she asked casually. At this point, unbeknownst to them, the topic of their discussion had just come inside from an invigorating training session. Motoko had only came in for a drink of water but had decided to come back later when she realized that Keitaro was already in the kitchen. But she had stopped cold when Keitaro spoke.

"That's the thing, I don't know!" Keitaro exclaimed. "She seems so… not herself lately. I wish I knew why."

"Shouldn't you worry more about your own problems?" Naru asked. Keitaro immediately gave her a reprimanding look, the kind he was not used to giving, and the kind which Naru was even less used to receiving, especially from Keitaro. "Look, all I'm saying is that you're can't go snooping around other people's troubles and avoiding your workload! If you're serious about Tokyo U, then act like it!"

"What do you mean by that? Of course I'm serious about getting in!" Keitaro shouted. For the first time, he was actually angry. Normally his anger would fizzle out when threatened with physical violence, or the act of it. But his anger was beyond appeasing at this point. "I worry about her as much as I worry about you! Or anyone else that lives here for that matter! Why shouldn't I worry?"

"Listen, you retard! Do you **really** want to become a fourth year ronin? You could go out and save the world for all I care, **after** you get into Tokyo U!" Naru shouted just as fiercely as her study partner. This time she was in his face, she was breathing a little heavy, and a part of her wondered why they were fighting at all. Keitaro wondered the same but he stuck to his principles. He would not abandon his friends or loved ones for any reason whatsoever.

"I would do the same for you." He replied. He grabbed a glass of water and some bread. "You can have the rest. I don't need much." Keitaro walked out of the kitchen and made his way back to his room. Studying alone would seem more appropriate at this rate. As he rounded the corner, from the corner of his eye he spotted something move. Turning his head, he saw nothing, and quickly dismissed it. Going up the stairs he decided that he would find out what was going on with Motoko, as well as Naru, and what he should do in regards to the both of them.

Meanwhile, the two topics of discussion within Keitaro's mind were currently on two different, yet similar trains of thought. Motoko had disappeared once Keitaro had left the kitchen while Naru stood in the kitchen confused and possibly shamed. Motoko had retreated back to the clothes-drying stand for another session. As she attacked with renewed vigor, her thoughts were similar to Naru's. With each arc and slash of her sword, his words repeated in her mind…

"_I would do the same for you…"_

His voice rang in true in Naru's mind and she couldn't help but feel like an idiot. He worried about everyone because it was in his nature. He couldn't help it and it wasn't necessarily that bad a thing. She had even said he had done well on those past exams earlier on. _Great. Now I'm just second-guessing myself. Damn it, why is this happening!? We were getting along just fine too!_ Even under the penalty of torture she wouldn't admit that his concern for someone else besides her did hurt just a bit. She conceded a long time ago that it was a bit selfish but that part of her also didn't really care. She grabbed several foodstuffs, mostly in the form of a few apples and some salad in case it wasn't enough, and walked back to her room, hoping to find Keitaro there. When she had opened the door, there was nothing there save her own books. Liddo-kun and the wooden plank was placed meticulously over the hole that was her main way of communicating with Keitaro, whenever she didn't want to go knock of his door, and vice versa.

Just as Motoko had her own prosecutor, Naru had hers as well, except hers seemed much fiercer in comparison:

_Just admit that he means something to you! You'd hurt yourself and him much less that way._

It's not like that!

_And yet the thought of Mutsumi stealing him away, how Kitsune is making her own plans, and how even Motoko has somehow come into the picture, you mean to tell me that this doesn't affect you at all? Even little Shinobu isn't so little anymore! They all have some claim on him and you're telling it doesn't mean anything to you? That he doesn't mean anything to you?_

He's not mine! I never wanted him!

_Yes, true, true. But you fought so hard for him didn't you? All those times you've lifted him from his fits of depression, all the times you fought to save him from his own devices. You tutored him and you were there for him so many times! That's above and beyond the call of duty._

Yes, I suppose…

_Tell him. If not, then push him away to your heart's content. Feel free to send me a card from the Old and Embittered Spinster's home._

And it was over just that quickly. There wasn't much to discuss since this was a topic that was frequently brought up time and time again, more so than she'd like to deal with. There were times she wanted to say what she felt, and then there were times fate saw fit to throw him into her chest, as if to speed up the process, and then she'd deck him out or send him into orbit. He seemed to have a magical touch, one that lifted the spirits and brighten your day if you give him the chance to do so, and every time she threw a punch she had regretted it in the end. He may be immortal but there were times she had wondered if his emotions were just as invincible. All these thoughts became a torrential downpour in her mind that left her empty on the inside.

_What about Motoko? What do I do? We're not… together… I can't stop him, but do I even have to? Does he even want me? _

The part of her mind that reasoned out her own selfishness, came to one last conclusion. She had given her life for the dream of Tokyo U, and now she had a chance for it, and a chance to go into Tokyo U with a friend that might just be more than a friend. She had asked for the most prestigious goal, all for the affection of a man whom was blind to her feelings, she had burned her eyes out with day-to-night-to-day studying, sacrificed a social life save for a few friends, and even went as far as to make herself look like a fool so that she can become the nation's top scholar. She had a chance for happiness and she should not give it up, either to friend or foe. She can have both. She deserved both. She won't turn against a friend but she won't abandon her chance for happiness either. The first step from this point on would be to go about life as normal and stake her claims and acquire her territory piece by piece. And it would all start with Tokyo U. She grabbed an old test booklet and erased all the pencil markings and set forth on another studying session. One thing at a time…

----------


	5. The Tranquility of Night

Disclaimer: Nope, none of it.

A/N: Thank you for all the great reviews! It's nice to know that one's work isn't unappreciated! A word of warning now… it's my sad duty to inform you… **THIS IS IT! THIS IS THE END!**

But not quite… You see, I've decided to make this the last chapter of Book I. In other words, I'll make a sequel. But keep in mind, I'm going to add another dimension to all of this, so don't expect just sappy romance. And Naru isn't just finished yet. Yes, I swear my allegiance to the Motoko and Keitaro coupling, but I try not to be biased when it comes to fanfiction. Also, I think these two deserve a fair shot at Keitaro the most out of everyone, so don't look for Mutsumi/Shinobu/Kitsune/Su/Kanako/Tsuroko/(or anyone else I may have missed) and Keitaro couplings. With all that said, I don't know when I'll get the sequel up, but I have managed to get a lot of it done. It's just that I promised my friend and colleague, Valentine Unit, that I lend a hand with her work in progress that's after Tenchu: Through the Portal.

Okay, I think I said enough for today. Enjoy the show! Read, review, and feel free to grab a hanky at this momentous occasion! I mean, not only is this coming to a close, but also this is the first time I've finished a fic! So, on to the good stuff!

Disclaimer: Nope, not mine.

Dinner had been a little awkward since Naru had decided to eat in her own room. She was still cheerful and lively but it felt forced rather than genuine. Keitaro knew the difference and found it strange that she should act cheerful (genuinely) towards him. She had sped off before giving anyone a chance to protest. Everything had been routine and Keitaro was glad for some semblance of normalcy. When the dishes were cleared and everyone had gone off to their rooms or back to their nightly routines Keitaro had opted to follow Motoko out to the annexing compound. As her after dinner ritual she would mediate and perform some mundane katas to end her day. He had waited patiently since he knew her schedule and how she acted like clockwork. Giving her enough time to finish meditating he approached her just as she opened her eyes.

"It's a nice night." Keitaro said with a smile. Without waiting for her to respond he quickly added, "I don't suppose you ever look at the stars?"

Motoko blinked in surprise. She closed her eyes once more and straightened her back. "Leave me be, Urashima. I have much to do before I go to bed."

"Then I won't take much of your time then." Keitaro said with a finality that surprised even him. Motoko opened her eyes in question. He had certainly gotten her attention. "Not to sound like I'm prying but… is there anything the matter?"

"What gives you the idea that there's something wrong with me?" she huffed.

"For almost three full weeks you've done nothing but basic training." Keitaro pointed out. He stroked his chin as he spoke. "If I remember correctly, you often do more than just swing your sword around. What was that expression again? You're just going through the motions!" Keitaro beamed at his mental victory. He considered it as such since it was a foreign saying he had picked up from his old English class, when he had overheard his teacher discussing non-school related topics.

"Really?" Motoko asked indifferently. In reality he had struck a cord within her. Not knowing how to react, she had given that chance to him, to let him say more and let her think about an appropriate response.

"Yes. Then there's also the fact you haven't hit me or shout an insult at me at all." Keitaro pointed out. Taking a seat a few feet opposite of her, he sat cross-legged and placed his elbows on his thighs, leaning forward while looking straight ahead. No matter how many times he would confront her, or any other girl for that matter, in such a forward manner, it was always a daunting task. Reminding himself of why he was even doing such a thing in the first place kept him from tripping over his own tongue. "I'm not really complaining or anything since it's bad enough having to be sent to every town and city in Japan via Naru-Airlines, but—"

"But what?" Motoko interrupted. Her tone held a bitter tinge to it. "You want me to degrade you now, is that it? What if that's not what I want anymore? Maybe I have better things to do than waste my time with a fool such as you!"

Keitaro reeled in shock. Normally her words had a cutting effect to them. Motoko could often disarm you with a simple, cutting stroke of her tongue. Her witty and wry remarks were effective, like a rapier. She would give a subtle hint of her intentions and feelings, or she would simply thrust, and impale you with one stroke, all the while making sure you feel the full brunt of it. But now, her outburst was almost desperate. It was not the cut of a rapier, but the blow of a club. She didn't have reservations nor did she hide her emotions, something that he was sure neither of them was used to.

Motoko continued speaking as he analyzed what he saw. "Urashima, I'm sorry. That outburst was unnecessary and rude on my part. I have had a lot on my mind lately." She whispered. "Good night."

Now it was Keitaro's turn to be outraged. "Oh c'mon! You can't just tell me nothing's bothering you! Look, maybe it doesn't mean much coming from me but I don't want you to suffer for whatever I did!" He didn't realize he had held his breath while waiting for her to answer… Not until he realized she had just stood up from the ground. At some point he had stood up, and now they were look directly at one another. A slow breeze tenderly brushed Motoko's hair from her face, allowing some of the moonlight to highlight her usually hidden beauty. Normally she hid her femininity under a shroud of focused determination and lethalness but now he was once more given a chance to see another side of her.

_By god she's… amazing. _He stopped short of saying beautiful. For some reason it didn't seem to do her justice.

"What makes you think it was anything you did, Urashima?" Motoko asked in all seriousness. "I've come to terms on what you are. Actually, on what kind of person you really are. You are not a pervert. You are just a very, very unlucky man. It would be a miracle if you can live out the rest of your days at all without having to suffer serious injury for your own foolish mistakes." Motoko continued even though Keitaro looked like he had been shot with several arrows in every man's sensitive spot. "You have ended up taking the full brunt of my wrath and lived to tell the tale. But that doesn't surprise me anymore. What does, is that you still take that in stride."

"What do you mean, take it in stride? How else am I supposed to take it? I lift one finger against you and I'll be lucky if I can still reattach it!" Keitaro painted a rather morbid scenario but even Motoko knew it to be true. There was no way he could have protested anything she would do to him except with his usual cries for mercy. That thought only reminded Motoko of what she has to do…

"I'm sorry…"

"Pardon, but did you just say you were sorry?"

"Yes. I said I was sorry. I am sorry for all the times I've tried to strike you down in the name of all that is chaste and good." Motoko replied. She bowed slowly and rose with such a practiced grace that one would mistake her for royalty. "You are very unfortunate, and I have realized that. Fate has conspired against you and pitted you in situations where you should have been killed. Fortunately it has not come to that and I would not know what to do if you had died by my hands."

Keitaro was much more than taken back by this sudden revelation. Normally he was never listened to and he'd be forced to run for his life… but now Motoko could see that every event that led to him being physically sent into the stratosphere was all just a big misunderstanding. "Yeah… I'm sorry too."

Motoko laughed, albeit somewhat more melancholy than usual. "You're sorry for what? What have you done?"

Now it was Keitaro's turn to sound sarcastic and melancholy. "What have I done? What haven't I done? What's the difference? It's all the same it seems…" He went behind Motoko and back to his earlier seat and positioned his back against the clothes-drying stand. He patted the ground, indicating that she might as well sit for a little while if they were to pour out their feelings in the middle of the night. "It's Naru ya know? Maybe if I've done something right or just didn't bother with certain things, I wouldn't always have to worry about landing in a different time zone every day."

"What? But I thought…" Motoko stopped speaking as she processed this information. At first she had thought that this was somehow their way of foreplay and the like. She wouldn't really punish him for his clumsiness and he didn't really mind all that much… harmless flirting even.

"You thought what?" Keitaro asked. He was interested in what Motoko thought. Most of the time she could care less for modern concepts of anything. She would know of them but she wouldn't care to comment on them or give her personal opinion on it. He was definitely interested on a different outlook on his situation with Naru.

"Nothing. I just thought maybe you and her…" She trailed off as she felt the heat rise to her face. Keitaro caught on quick and whistled low, eliciting a quick elbow from Motoko. "I'm serious! I just thought that…"

"What? That we're together or something?" Keitaro barked out a laugh. He had meant to sound unaffected and distant but Motoko could hear the false tone of bravado in his voice. "Believe me, there's nothing in this world that would get me near her in that way. It would take an act of parliament, God, and maybe even a good word from some the not-so-heavenly types too."

For a while the sat there, their backs up against the clothes drying stand. They both had their eyes on the stars. Neither of them expected the other to really speak after that but enjoyed each other's company as they took in the beauty of the night that surrounded them. _I guess I was wrong then. Not just about Urashima,_ Motoko thought as she looked over to him. _They aren't in love… So what does this all mean?_ Suddenly, Keitaro spoke up, interrupting her train of thought.

"Listen, I'm not the one to hold a grudge… Let's just forgive and forget. Yeah, I know I'm a clumsy idiot, but you felt you were in the right. It's all you could have done I guess…"

"No… not really. I didn't have to jump to conclusions."

"Once again, not your fault." Keitaro dismissed the topic with a casual wave of his hand, as if to objecting to a friend paying for a dinner. "You have a distrust for men. It's not necessarily good or bad. You just have to know who to trust after a while." Keitaro looked over to her and smiled benevolently. Unwittingly he had just caused Motoko's heart to beat just a little faster than normal. "Do you trust me?"

"Urashima… I… Yes—yes I do." she stammered.

His smile grew brighter but he didn't raise his voice or the like. "Thank you, Motoko. That really means a lot to me." he said quietly. He continued to gaze up at the stars for a while. Motoko could only let her line of sight linger upon Keitaro until her pride forced her to look away. Silently cursing, she berated herself for letting her stomach get all fluttery and she damned her face for betraying her like that. Had he noticed her blush? She looked over to him once more and noticed that he was still entranced with the starlight. A small grin crossed her features, allowing her own doubts and fears ebb from her body and mind. _I guess he _is_ too dense for his own good._

For a while longer they sat there, for the first time as real friends, staring up into the sky. But as all things must end, this moment had to as well. Motoko stood up and dusted her hakama off. She offered a hand to Keitaro, whom accepted gratefully. "We should head back in, before anything else happens." She said to Keitaro.

Jokingly Keitaro quipped, "Well, if Naru does get the wrong idea, I don't suppose you can stop her Iron Punch of hers for me?" The grin never left his face, even as Motoko found her hand slapping the back of Keitaro's head. They entered the building, leaving behind old feelings of distrust. Motoko was glad that he had come to her. She for one wouldn't know what to say or how to start it off. This also had reaffirmed her suspicions. Urashima—no, Keitaro, was becoming a real man. Just like the story of the wooden dummy becoming a real boy, this rock-headed boy was now becoming a man… A man with a rock for a head, but it was too deeply ingrained into his personality for it to ever change.

They spoke about the little things, partially due to Motoko. She had found new reason to connect with Keitaro, for more than one reason. He was no longer classified as just another male pervert, she rather enjoyed the company without the fear of harassment, she no longer felt guilty beyond reasoning, her head felt much clearer after their little talk, and she just wanted to talk and convey all the little things she had always kept inside. In short, she didn't have to hide herself, not from him. The feeling of having the weight of the world on her shoulders had just been alleviated a little, and maybe it would be permanent. There will always be things to worry about, but now there was just a little less than before…

As they stood outside her door, Keitaro quickly changed topics. He would be lying if he said he wasn't curious as to why the sudden change in Motoko. "Hey Motoko? I've been wondering, what brought this up?" Keitaro tried to explain it better when he saw the puzzled look on her face. "What happened that made you change your mind about me?"

Motoko stood by her door, her gaze focused intently on Keitaro's. She didn't say anything for a while, and coupled with the fact that she was staring right into his soul, Keitaro began to feel a little antsy. "You gave me a lot to think about. You are not the average male; that I can say for sure. However I am sure you are still prone to the lure of the female. I swear upon my forebears that you will come to no harm as long as you are innocent. But be warned, don't prove me wrong Urashima!"

Keitaro couldn't help but flinch at the tone of her voice. It was the sound of the old Motoko, only less stern. It was still a commanding tone and he couldn't help but place a step back for a tactical retreat. Motoko saw this and shook her head in disbelief, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Hadn't what she said sunk into his head? She wouldn't take out her aggravation on him anymore. She had realized it that morning. He had always been the convenient target. He was male, she wasn't the type to trust easily especially men in general, he lived in a girls' dormitory where she resided, and he was accused of being a pervert many a time. With his clumsiness and his luck, it wasn't that surprising that her sword always found a way to his throat.

"Keitaro… Just don't let me down, okay?"

With that said, she slowly closed her door allowing her one last look of Keitaro, smiling at the slight bewilderment on his face.


End file.
